Everything You Need to Know about a Made to Measure Suit and its Difference with Ready-to-Wear

Nowadays, more men have become more particular with their personal style – not just with how they groom themselves, but also how they dress and what they wear. The emphasis is on accentuating the positive, and in menswear, this has become a top priority. But if you are looking to get your own suit (and every man should have at least one!), you should know some important facts first. There is a difference, for instance, between ready-to-wear and made to measure, and knowing the difference can make a big impact on your look. Here, then, is everything you need to know about a made to measure suit and its difference with ready-to-wear.

The basics on ready-to-wear

You may already know that a ready-to-wear suit, or RTW suit, is a suit that is purchased off the rack, meaning it’s already in a set style and cut determined by the producer of the suit. The RTW suit is made with general measurements in mind, and this also means that the suit is mass-produced.

There may be certain benefits brought by purchasing a suit off the rack, such as immediacy. If you need a suit right away, then a ready-to-wear suit is your best option. Also, RTW suits are generally less expensive than made to measure or bespoke suits, so if you’re on a budget, then RTW may be a good choice.

There are some drawbacks to RTW, however. One of these is the generic fit – since the fit is pre-designed, you can’t really be sure that it’s the right fit for your own chest, arm length, shoulder, or waist. Even if an RTW suit fits some areas of the body, it may not fit other areas; it may either be too short, too loose, too tight, or too long. Additionally, with RTW, you don’t have much choice when it comes to personal style – you can’t really decide on aspects such as the cloth, the finishing, and the cut, since the suit is already made.

The basics on made to measure

Made to measure suits are somewhat similar to RTW, although you can take advantage of alterations. You can visit the shop, but rather than simply purchasing a suit and taking it home, the salesman can take some measurements and your choice in style and cloth, and this is then taken to a factory where a suit is made according to your preference. The measurements of the suit will fit your precise measurements, particularly with the chest, sleeve, waist, length of the trouser, and more.

Made to measure suits are a better alternative to RTW because the suit is made to your exact measurements. It will be a perfect fit for your proportions. It’s not that far in price from RTW, either, and the suit doesn’t take as much time to finish as bespoke suits.